Sara Alessandrini

Sara Alessandrini is an Italian filmmaker and social commentator based in Los Angeles whose work examines the intersection of media, politics, and public perception. She is the creator of This Is What New Yorkers Say, a five-part docuseries that explores how media bias, political agendas, and social movements shaped public perception around former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo. The series features in-depth interviews with New Yorkers discussing due process, media responsibility, #MeToo vs. women’s empowerment, cancel culture, and the pressures of a social-media-driven society.

At the time she began the documentary, Sara was in no position to take on a project of this scale—financially, logistically, or professionally. She financed it herself, working long hours and taking on personal debt to bring it to life, guided by the belief that the story needed to be told and that meaningful work is worth the risk even when circumstances are far from ideal. What started as a feature documentary was later expanded into a five-part docuseries, including one new episode and reworked material from the original film, a process that took several additional years to complete. The series became both an act of civic responsibility and a leap of faith, carried out amid daily challenges.

Sara began in electronics and telecommunications engineering before leaving her studies to pursue filmmaking, bringing a practical, analytical mindset to all of her work. After completing her filmmaking studies at Academy of Cinema and Television in Rome, she worked in the Italian film industry and spent a short but formative time in Australia before relocating to Los Angeles in 2015.

She worked for seven years at the American Cinematheque, where she oversaw the historic Egyptian Theatre—Hollywood’s oldest movie palace and the site of the world’s first movie premiere. She later earned a degree in Business Administration and consulted for the Philosophical Research Society, supporting more than 800 cultural events, screenings, lectures, and programs.

Her films have been showcased in festivals nationally and internationally. Through her work, Sara advocates for a culture that is more thoughtful, more honest, and more willing to question the stories we are told. She believes film should provoke inquiry rather than offer simple answers, inviting audiences to examine how narratives are constructed, who controls them, and how they shape our understanding of justice, empowerment, and truth.

Today, Sara stands at the intersection of storytelling, social criticism, and civic awareness—using her voice to challenge dominant narratives and spark essential conversations about media responsibility, political fairness, and the future of democratic dialogue.